So now that I am no longer married, no kids and will have a sizable tax return in January, I am contemplating a sportier car. That said, I still have basic Volvo-wagon-like needs. I made the mistake of helping a co-worker repair and sell a Mini Cooper S and realized how much I miss acceleration and real handling.

My work truck has removed the wagon-as-a-pick-up responsibility and the thing cost me less than $400 a year plus gas. I still need the ability to tote at least 250#'s of dogs at any one time (out of 360#'s). I prefer to camp in my Volvo at the track but now that we race a van, this is less an issue.

The 7/9 series Volvo can be made to handle and the turbos stock have adequate acceleration with the easy potential for some more but the local requirements for yearly emission testing on all post 1978 cars means that is a limited option (yes, I owned a 760 turbo with turbo+). Besides, it is difficult to make a 7/9 handle well but not impossible.

The 850R in manual form would be an option but they are rare as hens teeth. So I am contemplating other non-Volvo options.

There are two possible routes: keep the 940 wagon for dog toting needs and get a real 6-months-a-year toy or get a 940 wagon replacement that has the performance I desire. No matter what, I want a manual tranny.

So far the list of the former is simple...NA Miata and nothing else. Preferably with the LSD and 1.8. I can do almost any level of stupidity with that car and they are just plain fun.

For the latter it gets more complex. Options I have come up with are just weird:

1.8T GTI
Bugeye WRX (not STI) "wagon"
Saab 9000 Aero (9-3 wagon and 9-5 wagon distant possibilities)
uber-rare Subaru Legacy GT with a stick
BMW 3 or 5 series wagon with the I6 motor (again, uber-rare with a stick)
Saab 9-2X (basically a Subaru WRX)

That is about all. I am guessing that in theory I could do a more modern Volvo than the 850R but most of the things I love about Volvo died with the end of the first gen FWD/AWD cars.

Opinions and outrage welcome but I am only in the planning stages.